Across South Carolina

By From Wire Reports

Turtle art will take over Charleston

CHARLESTON - First came cows and palmetto trees, along with deer, moose, dinosaurs and cod. Now come the turtles.

This spring, dozens of decorated turtles will be sunning themselves along Charleston's streets as part of "Turtles on Parade." The loggerheads will be the work of artists using life-size molds of 3-foot-long, 300-pound loggerheads.

It's the latest in the folk art craze that started with "Cows on Parade" in Chicago in the late 1990s. Six years ago, the Palmetto Tree Project featured dozens of colorful statues of palmetto trees scattered around Columbia.

Other cities have seen everything from deer and dinosaurs to caribou and cod and, in Myrtle Beach, carousel horses.

The turtle project, which will be on display as part of the Piccolo Spoletto, was the idea of Robin Asbury, who helped create a pride of lions while working for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

He expects as many as 75 turtles to be part of the exhibit, with the money raised going to sea turtle rescue and other conservation work at the South Carolina aquarium.

Business sponsors support the project and pick proposals from artists, who get a $1,000 stipend.

Pepper spray in locker leads to boy's arrest

LEXINGTON - A 12-year-old boy has been arrested after a Lexington County sheriff's deputy found a container of pepper spray in his locker.

The boy, who was not identified because of his age, was charged Monday with having a weapon at Pine Ridge Middle School.

The boy also is accused of taking two cell phones from a 13-year-old pupil's purse, Sheriff James Metts said.

The boy has been released to his mother and will face the charge in Family Court, Sheriff Metts said.

Assistant police chief is charged with DUI

ST. GEORGE - An off-duty assistant police chief crashed his pickup into a tree and was charged with driving under the influence, authorities said.

Craig Legates, 37, wrecked on U.S. Highway 78 at about 12:35 a.m. Sunday, the state Highway Patrol said.

He was treated at a hospital and later posted a $500 personal recognizance bond.

He was hired as assistant police chief in July.

Town Administrator Jason Purvis said he had not seen paperwork on the incident, saying, "It's still pretty early in this whole process."